I like a good story where the guy gets the girl (mostly because I never do) but I've never seen one that's done well. It's always the guy and the girl beating around the bush until the final episode where they acknowledge their feelings and seal the deal with a kiss. Happily ever after is implied. Why is it impossible for anime to portray an actual ongoing relationship?

you should see waiting in the summer then, or Kids on the slope.

In response: I love romance anime though I sometimes find the hero/heroine to be overly dense to the point of frustration.

First to answer the OP's question: Yes! Romance, particularly romantic comedy, is one of my absolute favorite genres. I do prefer if it is mixed with something else, like an action/sci-fi/mystery/fantasy/historical base for the story, but I also prefer the romance to be a big part of it. However, a straight slice-of-life romantic comedy, or even romantic drama, is fine!

Some examples of my favorites:Ah! My Goddess: Romantic Comedy with a sci-fi/fantasy base and occasional action arcs - my all-time favorite anime.Spice and Wolf: Historical fantasy romantic comedy. The couple of Holo and Lawrence and the way their relationship grows is one of the most realistic depictions of relationship development in anime, despite the fact that one of the two is a 600+ year-old harvest goddess with wolf ears and a tail!Toradora!: The best high-school romantic comedy out there, in my opinion! Great characters and a great story! But the novels are better! (Though the anime is extreemly well done and very close to the novels, the ending is a little bit better in the novels. However, the first kiss scene in the anime is much, much better than in the novel! The scene that takes place at the same point in the story in the novel, which is NOT the first kiss scene, is extremely good, but it pales in comparison to the anime ("One more!"). The actual first kiss scene in the novels is even poorer in comparison. I can't wait to see how the manga handles it!)Otome Youkai Zakuro: Historical Fantasy Action Romantic Comedy with a touch of mystery to the story! Practically the whole enchilada!Gosick: Mystery Romantic Comedy - the romance takes a back seat in this one until the end, except for the fact that the most compelling part of the story from episode 1 is the relationship between the two leads. It is always the chemistry between Victorique and Kujo that makes this anime work.Ano Natsu de Matteru: Sci-fi Romantic Comedy with a very nice and satisfying endingSteins;Gate: Sci-fi Romantic Comedy with a mystery aspect and a bit of tragedy in the middle. I love time travel stories!Full Metal Panic: Very likely the best combination of Sci-fi/Mecha action and romantic comedy I have found!Ōkami-san and Her Seven Companions: Two parts parody, one part farce, one part romantic comedy. The fractured fairytale motif combined with the underlying plot of Ryōshi, the hunter, trying to "bag" his prey, Ōkami, the wolf, with plenty of well meaning (and not so well meaning) meddling by Ringo, the evil-loli Little Red is a load of fun and very sweet in spots.

I like a good story where the guy gets the girl (mostly because I never do) but I've never seen one that's done well. It's always the guy and the girl beating around the bush until the final episode where they acknowledge their feelings and seal the deal with a kiss. Happily ever after is implied. Why is it impossible for anime to portray an actual ongoing relationship?

Spoiler Alert! Click to show or hide

And no, I'm not just talking about sex. Although that is a factor. I've never once watched an anime where a character sat there with his arm around his girlfriend, or held her hand in front of his friends or comrades. And yes, sex. It doesn't even need to show anything. But sex actually does happen out there in real world with young couples in love. I roll my eyes in disgust every time I see a character be propositioned by the beautiful girl he loves only to spring a bloody nose and run away.

I know it will never happen. But I want to see characters evolve a relationship and have it continue in an anime. For example, I want Sakura to just forget about the jackass who tried murder her and just accept what Naruto is offering. I want them to go to that barbecue restaurant with the whole gang where Naruto sits there with his arm around her. I want Shikamaru to show up at Naruto's apartment early one morning where Sakura answers the door wearing nothing but one of Naruto's old T-shirts. Like I said, I know it will never happen. But I wish it would.

For that type of show, I would strongly suggest the last favorite that I am going to mention in this post: Mysterious Girlfriend X!

MGX is offbeat, that is a given, and there is still the issue with the whole lack of physical intimacy and the fact that they are keeping their relationship private, but the growth of the relationship is the primary focus of the storyline. On another forum, I commented on an author's note by the mangaka from one of the manga volumes, in which he explains about the reason he placed the characters at the 16/17 year-old area and discusses his view that there is too much of a rush to physical intimacy in today's youth. One of the major themes he is exploring in MGX is the wonders of the "pre-sexual" relationship. The awkward, frustrating, hormone drenched time when you both know that the other person is interested, but you don't really know how interested. That is the area this show explores. Once the relationship crosses a certain line, the mystery is gone to a certain extent, so don't go in expecting anything resembling fast development! Oh, about the T-shirt comment,

Spoiler Alert! Click to show or hide

there is a scene in the MGX manga where Urabe answers the door for Tsubaki wearing only one of his shirts. It is priceless, with the obvious thought of "I wish I was that shirt" actually used. I doubt that the anime will get that far into the manga, but it is a stand-alone chapter so they could toss it in just because it is such a great chapter!